


All that I have left

by GonerLoner



Series: When the Night Rises [3]
Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Alternate Universe - Witchcraft, Drama, Gen, Loss of Parent(s), Memory Loss, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Not Beta Read, Story of Chan's memory loss, or how it happened
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:21:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24963667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GonerLoner/pseuds/GonerLoner
Summary: Kim Juhee would do everything for Sophia.That included keeping her son Chan - Chris - safe from the hazards of the vampyre world - it included making sure that the Clans would never be able to lay hand on him.Even after she and her husband had to die such a cruel death.
Series: When the Night Rises [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1806754
Kudos: 5





	All that I have left

**Author's Note:**

> Hellou lovelies! Hope you all are doing okay <3  
> I'm coming back with a small spin-off story to [When the Night Rises](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19071448?view_full_work=true). An event in the past - of how come that Kim Juhee, the mother of Strays, knows about Chris's real name and how he ended up in Luca's family.
> 
> I don't know much about reactions from children when faced with such a cruel trauma, but I hope Chris's reactions are somewhat believable!  
> Still, I hope you guys enjoy. I'd be very glad about some Kudos and/or comments!
> 
> <3<3<3<3

“He’s growing so tall,” Kim Juhee smiled.

Sophia Bang looked at her son, a chuckle escaping her at how giggly he was playing in the sandbox of the playground with a few other children. “I can’t believe he’s five now… it feels like barely any time has passed since I brought him into the world,” she answered, her soft voice in a whisper. She raised her hand, her rings glittering in the sunlight and the air started shimmering around them.

Juhee never knew what Sophia saw when she used her magic like this, but what she knew was that it kept her son hidden from the vampyre world. Juhee was only able to see him and talk to him because she was friends with Sophia and she was no threat to little Chan.

“You tell me.” Juhee hid a giggle and straightened her long, sand-colored skirt. Then she turned serious, sitting up from where she was leaning against the wooden bench they were sitting on. “Has there been any incident with the Strays lately? Or one of the Clans?”

Sophia glanced at her, chocolate brown eyes that glinted with silver magic meeting with Juhee’s red ones. “No, fortunately not. At least…” She hesitated, her delicate hands twisting into her sweater. “Nothing worse.”

Juhee frowned, her posture locking. “What do you mean?”

Sophia didn’t look at her, keeping her eyes on Chan. “There was this one time… Chan was talking to somebody when I came to pick him up from daycare - someone from the Northside Clan.” Her voice sank into a whisper and she breathed out shakily. “What use does the Protection Spell have when they can still find him?”

“What did they say to him?” Juhee leaned forward, placing a careful hand on Sophia’s shoulder.

“They stopped talking when I came closer,” Sophia whispered, her eyes far away. “And Channie said they asked him about his name and if he knew who they - him - where. He was afraid because their eyes were purple… I’m so glad I got him away from there before anything could happen.”

Juhee turned to look at Chan, seeing him talk excitedly with another boy with black hair. His best friend Luca. “I don’t think they would have taken him while being surrounded by so many other mortals. And… Sophia, I can barely feel any difference in him to a normal mortal child. Barely anyone in the Clans knows that witches still exist.” She looked at Sophia and smiled, calming, and convinced in her words. “Your Protection Spell is working amazing - you don’t have to worry about the Strays or the Clans finding you. I’m keeping you under my watch - I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Sophia held her gaze with wide eyes. A few strands of honey-colored hair fell into her face, escaping the loose, long braid hanging over her right shoulder. Then, she relaxed marginally and smiled softly, adoration and trust in her eyes. “Thank you, Juhee. That… means a lot to me.”

“Bye, Auntie Juhee!” Chan crowed happily and waved, holding one of his teddy plushies in the hand that wasn’t waving. It was an old thing, something Juhee had made for him a few years back, shortly after Chan saw the light of the world and Juhee knew that she would give Sophia’s son everything she could if it meant he was happy

She smiled and raised a hand in a wave. “Bye, Channie. Be good to your parents, you hear me?”

Chan nodded with a bright grin and a giggle and swiftly hid behind Jinyoung, his father. 

Jinyoung laughed and scooped Chan up into his arms. “He’s always the best with us, Juhee,” he smiled, his dark eyes sparkling. “Have a good way home.”

Juhee bowed shallowly though the smile on her face didn’t want to leave. “Thank you. You two enjoy your evening.”

Her gaze fell on Sophia when she emerged from the kitchen, carefully holding a glass container with what looked like bars of dark chocolate in it. Her smile was tender and she gave Juhee the small box. “Be careful with it. You said you have a new Stray to take care of - and how vampyres seem to… enjoy the taste of sugar next to blood. I’ve tried my hands on new chocolate - it should help make the first weeks after Turning a bit easier.”

Juhee looked down on the glass box, blinking in surprise. “How… how did you make them? Or… how did you find out what it takes to make…” She shook her head, trying again while tucking a strand of her white hair behind her ear. “The first months are never easy for Strays because of the missing bond… I’m not doubting your abilities, Sophia, but how should this help?”

Sophia glanced back at Chan and Jinyoung before locking eyes with Juhee again. “Trust me on this,” she whispered. “I… I have my ways of finding out such things, and I can’t tell you about it all, but… next time they need to eat, just give them a bit of the chocolate.”

“Aren’t you afraid they will be able to trace the smell to your house and find you?”

Sophia stepped forward and placed a gentle hand on Juhee’s cheek. “I thank you for your concern, but no, I am not. I’m a witch, remember?”

Juhee smiled, turning her head to softly kiss the palm of Sophia’s hand. “How could I forget.”

“Then you know I’m capable of defending my little family.” 

Juhee wanted to answer but she stopped when she saw Sophia’s eyes glazing over and turning silver, a silent gasp falling from her lips.

Panic made Juhee freeze, her eyes widening in alarm. “Sophia?” Quickly, she caught Sophia’s arms before the woman could slump to the floor and crossed eyes with Jinyoung still standing behind them.

He frowned, setting Chan to the ground and coming closer, gently guiding Sophia against his chest and sinking to the floor with her. “We’re here, Soph,” he whispered, drawing circles on her arms and pulling her closer when she started to shiver, her breath quickening and her lips moving in soundless whispers. She reached out to something none of them were seeing.

“A Vision,” Juhee muttered in understanding, sinking to her knees in front of the pair. Her heart sank at the terror in Sophia’s wide, silver, unseeing eyes and the sweat pearling on her skin.

“Is Mommy okay…?” they heard a quiet voice ask behind them and with a start, Juhee realized that Chan was still in the room. It was best if he didn’t see Sophia like this.

Juhee exchanged a gaze with Jinyoung and stood, smiling at Chan to hide her fear of what Sophia could be seeing. Since Juhee knew her, Sophia had fallen into a Vision twice - and both times, it wasn’t anything good.

“She’s okay, don’t worry. Why don’t we go back to your room and I can read you a story of one of your books?”

Chan looked up at her with wide eyes, his arms hugging the stuffed teddy to his chest. His hair was a mess, his fluffy pajamas making him look even smaller than he was. “But Mommy-”

“Your Dad is taking care of her, don’t worry. She will be okay.” Juhee crouched to be at eye-level with him and extended a hand with a smile. “Come, why don’t we spend some more time with each other?”

Chan hesitated, regarding her with big, unsure eyes before nodding eventually and taking her hand, his face still half-hidden behind his plushie.

Juhee smiled and lead him upstairs into his bedroom, away from his now twitching mother and his worried, silent father.

By the time Juhee came downstairs again, Sophia had resurfaced. Jinyoung and her were sitting on the sofa in the living room, him holding her curled up form and drawing calming circles on her arms.

Sophia looked spent - like she had used all her energy to focus on powering through what the Future had shown her. A thin sheen of sweat covered her skin, her braid had come undone.

“What did you see?” Juhee asked softly and stepped closer, sinking to her knees in front of the pair.

Sophia raised her head and looked at Juhee. Her eyes were half-lidded in exhaustion but clear, shimmering silver with magic. For a few seconds, she stayed silent before taking Juhee’s hand in her own, her grip trembling. “Promise me something, Juhee.” The words were quiet, raw as a whisper and Juhee tensed up.

“Anything you want,” she said, swallowing.

“Please… once we’re not here for him anymore… Promise me you’ll give Chan a life away from the vampyre world. Promise me you’ll be there for him.” She stopped, still short for breath. Visions took out a lot of a witch. “Promise… promise me he’ll be safe.”

And Juhee’s heart froze, her breath catching in her throat. She had a clue of what Sophia had seen and her eyes closed, trembling with overwhelming pain.

Still, her grip on Sophia’s hands stayed firm and her voice only shook slightly. “I promise, Sophia. I’ll do everything to keep him safe.”

Juhee hadn’t thought she would fulfill her promise this way.

Not so soon.

A knock on her door resonated in the eery quietness of her small house, interrupting the steady sound of rushing rain from outside.

Juhee stood to let the small boy in - Alois, a boy who hadn’t been a vampyre for long before Juhee had found him. 

He was shaking, soaked to the core and his arms slung around his torso, his eyes flitting around like he was expecting to find somebody else who had followed him.

“Alois? What happened?” She frowned, closing the door and leading the shaking boy inside to her living room. A fire was burning in the fireplace, the furniture comfortable and warm. She sat him down into one of the armchairs and crouched in front of him. “What did you find?”

Alois took a shaking breath. “They have found them, Mother,” he whispered. “They have… they killed her… and her husband too…” He was staring into nothing, his eyes wide and terrified.

Juhee frowned, not understanding but the ice spreading through her gut didn’t mean anything good. “Who? Who had found who?”

Alois looked at her with wide, amber eyes, trembling with fear. “The witch,” he said. “She… she and her husband are dead.”

This was the day when Juhee learned that even though her heart was dead as a vampyre, it could still shatter into a million pieces.

_ “Promise me… promise me he’ll be safe.” _

“Channie,” Juhee softly said, crouching down in front of the traumatized boy. He didn’t seem to see her, half of his face hidden behind the teddy plushie she had once gifted him and his eyes staring ahead unseeingly. 

“Channie. Do you still know who I am?” 

His head lifted and he blinked, staring at her with big, empty eyes and her heart broke even further. This silence was worse than the way he had been screaming when Juhee came to get him, sitting next to the violently torn up and blood-covered corpses of his parents. 

Juhee hadn’t been able to look at Sophia’s corpse for longer than a glance, it hurt way too much. She knew she shouldn’t get attached to mortals because of how fragile and final their lives were, but… knowing it still hadn’t saved her from falling for Sophia.

And now, Chan was the only one left and Juhee was reminded of the promise she gave to Sophia the last time she saw her.

_ He would be safe. She would make sure of it. _

“Auntie,” he said softly, barely a whisper. 

He was sitting next to her fireplace, in the big armchair where she had placed Alois in when he brought her the news. A blanket was wrapped around his shoulders, tea, and crackers standing nearby. But Chan hadn’t moved to take either since she brought him in.

Juhee smiled, her chest hurting. “Yes, that’s me. Can you… can you drink something for me? You’ll need it.”

Chan didn’t answer, only continued to stare at her with those big, chocolate brown eyes. The pain shined through the vast veil of emptiness and Juhee knew it was only a matter of time before it would break through that veil. Chan was in shock and Juhee had no idea how long it would last.

_ Heavens, she knew nothing about mortal children. _

She blew out a breath and rested her hands next to his legs, where he could see them. “Would you like to sleep?”

“Want Mommy,” he whispered back, pulling his teddy plushie down until she could see the way his lips were wobbling.

Juhee stopped, hesitating. “Mommy isn’t… isn’t here right now. But I am. I know I’m not as good as her but… I can give good hugs too.”

Chan looked up at her. Tears were glistening in his eyes and before Juhee could start saying more, he started sobbing. Quiet, painful sobs, with tears running down his cheeks and still, his eyes stayed trained on Juhee. He didn’t move to come closer to her.

It tore at Juhee’s already wounded heart.

How many times had she wished she could cry. So she could mourn the loss of her Sophia, of Jinyoung. So she could mourn the way the Strays had ripped them from their life so suddenly and left behind a scared, traumatized boy.

Heavens, he was only five!

She closed her eyes, a shiver running down her back. Something in Chan’s scent caught her attention, shifting and warping into something she had never smelled before. 

And suddenly she knew she couldn’t keep Chan in her home. 

The Protection Spell… she wondered how well it would work if Sophia now was dead. She wondered if it would change like she knew a few Spells could.

“I will miss her too… you’re not alone, Channie.”

Juhee smiled at Luca and Chan- no, Chris. They were playing in the garden outside, chasing each other around and tumbling over the grass, showing a side from Chris Juhee was sure she wouldn’t ever see again.

“He will be a good brother to Luca,” Mrs. Park, Luca’s mother, said, her eyes fond from where she stood next to Juhee, watching through the window of the Parks’ house. 

“I’m sure of that. They’ve been friends forever - I think Sophia would have wanted him to grow up with Luca.” Juhee smiled through the pain and crossed her hands behind her back, her long, white braid swaying gently with her movement.

Mrs. Park turned to look at her, smiling softly. She was good-natured and kind-hearted, so much like Sophia - but not nearly as delicate as her. Still, Juhee knew Chris would find a good place here. 

“I’m so sorry for your loss again… I know Sophia was a good friend of yours too. And…” She hesitated. “I thank you for entrusting us with taking Chris in. In… helping him heal and grow up.”

Juhee tilted her head, still smiling. “I know he will find a loving family with you. I love him dearly, but I can’t provide him with what he needs after… after what he had lost.” 

She thought of how his scent had warped, had become stronger, more enticing than anything she had ever smelled, and from that moment on she knew she had to keep her distance.

Mrs. Park shook her head, her green eyes sad. “We won’t be a replacement for his parents. But… We will do our best to make sure he has nothing else to miss. That he won’t be alone.” Her hands tightened around the curtain she was holding aside. “It’s… it’s the least I can do for her son.”

“I thank you for that. For adopting him.” Juhee glanced outside again, noticing the darkening sky. “If you excuse me, I must leave now - I’ll leave Cha- Chris in your care.”

“Will you be able to visit us? I’m sure Chris wants to see you again.”

“I…” Juhee hesitated. “I will see.”

She left with a farewell towards Chris, not sure if she would ever see him again.

“Kim Juhee. I don’t see you very often in our territory.” 

Juhee stopped and turned around, her back straightening. 

Her ears hadn’t deceived her - Kim Yeoncheol was standing behind her, at the other end of the small alleyway she was walking through. He was smiling, his red suit glowing despite the blue coldness of the night.

“Yeoncheol.” She bowed slowly, confidently meeting his amber eyes. She wasn’t afraid of him but she knew she should meet him with respect. “I seek to talk to you.”

His head tilted, he took slow, measured steps towards her until she could see the curiosity glinting in his gaze. “What about, Stray-Mother?”

“I’m sure your men have already told you about what happened a few nights ago - in  _ your  _ territory. About the mortals,  _ your  _ men have killed.” Helpless anger flooded her veins and she pressed her lips into a tight line. But she wouldn’t get her pain get in the way of this. “It can’t go on like this, Clan-Leader. Your Strays have to be controlled. Otherwise, they will keep killing innocent mortals and we won’t stay undiscovered for much longer.”

The laugh he let out took her by surprise. She blinked, staring at Yeoncheol while he grinned at her with barely hidden glee. “I’m surprised to see that it irks you all of a sudden that Strays are killing to feed. There’s hardly any vampyre here who hasn’t killed a supposedly innocent mortal. But it’s a wonderful coincidence that you’ve been searching for me. I’ve been wanting to talk to you too - because I plan to entrust all the Strays into your care.”

Juhee blanked, taking a stumbling step back. “M-me? What do you mean?”

“You’ve taken care of a lot of Strays already and brought them back from the brink of insanity - no matter if they were from the Northside or the Southside. You don’t take sides. Who else could I entrust to help them?” 

The smile disappeared from his face and he sighed, waving a hand like he was bored. “I don’t care what you’re doing with them - as long as you’re taking care that they’re laying low and not showing us to the world. The secret of vampyres shall stay a secret at all costs.”

“This sounds like you’ve already given this a lot of thought, Clan-Leader,” Juhee murmured, her hands clenching at her side.

Yeoncheol tilted his head, half-lidded, amber eyes watching her attentively. “Of course. It was only a matter of time until it would escalate.”

Juhee stiffened, her anger boiling over. “And you still let it happen?? Strays from  _ your  _ Clan have killed the last living witch in this country - how will you deal with that??”

“I’m not responsible for what the younger ones are doing, Stray-Mother. I can’t control every Stray a vampyre from my Clan may have turned.” He dusted off his sleeves and stared Juhee down, daring her to object to his too calm attitude. “As to what I will do with those who had committed the crime - my men have already found them and given them their punishment.”

Juhee was frozen under his gaze, letting him step closer. His voice sank deeper, silken, and smooth like she was his prey that he wanted to lure in. “From now on, you will live up to your name, Stray-Mother. If new Strays are being created in Seoul, I want you to be the one who will bring them back into our society and help them with their new life. For that, I will ensure you can pass through both the Northside and Southside without harm - no hunter or other vampyre shall ever harm you. ”

And that was how Kim Juhee, a vampyr with an unknown creator, too many years she didn’t remember and so much grief too recent to try to forget, turned into the Mother of Strays.

**Author's Note:**

> [My twitter](https://twitter.com/loner_goner) for those who want to follow me/talk w me about anything SKZ related or music in general!! <3<3<3


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